Skagway Frequently Asked Questions from Tourists

Part 1

Every day during the summer season, thousands of tourists disembark their cruise ships excited about the many adventures that await. Whether they’re going on the White Pass train tour or a helicopter trip to the glacier, they are filled with anticipation and glee. They are also full of questions.

One of the first things a tourist sees after getting off of their cruise ship is the tour sales booth. It doesn’t matter if they’ve already purchased a tour because they need questions answered pronto, so they walk in the door and start firing away. They don’t even care if there are other people waiting in line because their questions are more important than other tourist’s questions.

This blog was written to help you avoid these social faux pas. Print out a copy of these Skagway Frequently Asked Questions from Tourists and you will have all the answers you need for a great day in Alaska.

And away we go!

#1 – Where do I catch the shuttle to town?

Good question. Everyone wants to get “to town” when they visit Skagway. You may be surprised to learn that town is only about 1/3 of a mile from the dock, so if you’re capable of walking, you may save some time. Bus stops in Skagway are marked “SMART” without the least bit of irony. Simply look for these blue and white signs and you’re good to go.

SMART is an acronym for Skagway Municipal and Regional Transit but even we don’t understand the “regional” part.

#2 – How much is the shuttle to town? or… Is the shuttle to town free?

Another good question. Paying for stuff is a bummer, but the SMART shuttles cost $2 for a one-way trip or $5 for an all-day pass. The drivers accept cash. If you do not have cash, you will have to get some. You may have noticed that the tour sales booth is not a bank. There is also no ATM. While you may think it’s selfish of us not to make change for your $100 bill, you have to remember that we get many requests a day for change. If we broke everybody’s $100 bill, we would have no change for actual transactions. That wouldn’t be very helpful to our customers, so be sure to bring some cash. Here’s the fun part – The SMART shuttle drivers have change! And before you ask, yes, they have change for a $100 bill.

#3 – How often does the shuttle run?

Wow. You’re really on a roll. Shuttles in Skagway are not on any schedule, but when we relay this fact to tourists they often say, “Well, ABOUT how often do they come?” This is why we usually just say, “They come around every 10 to 15 minutes.”

#4 – You said the shuttle would be here in 15 minutes and it’s been 20 minutes!

This is not a question, but we recognize that you’re making a statement where a response is expected. Remember that our tour sales company does not own the SMART shuttle company, so we cannot make the shuttles run faster or slower. If you would like to call and request a shuttle pickup, please call (907) 983-2743. You will find the SMART shuttle’s owner to be very friendly at 6:30 in the morning.

#5 – I know I didn’t buy this tour with you, but where do I pick it up?

We are more than happy to help every tourist find their tour, even when they didn’t buy the tour with us. However, if there is a line of 6 people waiting patiently in front of you, it is very rude to cut in front of them, even if your tour start-time is imminent. Your ticket says where to pick up the tour. For example, if your ticket says, “meet alongside the cruise ship,” this means you meet the tour alongside the cruise ship.

#6 – Are you sure we meet by the cruise ship?

Yes. You see, that is what the ticket says. And remember, we answer this question countless times every day and we live in Skagway. We are good at our jobs.

#7 – You mean, I have to walk all the way back to the cruise ship?!

Yes. Try to comfort yourself in the fact that it’s only about 300 feet away. Also, if you’re considering getting angry with us, we didn’t sell you the tour and we just helped you find the pickup location. We are nice people. A simple, “Thank you!” will suffice.

Be sure to check out Part Two of our Skagway Frequently Asked Questions from Tourists – coming soon!